Stronger Than That
by Macx
Summary: part of the Fire & Ice series. Michael's on vacation, but back home trouble's brewing. Someone took a contract out on Nick and when a virus is inserted into Karr, things go definitely downhill....


**Stronger Than That**   
by Birgit Stäbler

  


_Blame for the following story has been readily accepted by Elfin. The idea blossomed after reading the following lines in her fic 'Chasing Midnight': 'The problem was Nicholas MacKenzie. He'd protected them after the experiments she'd run to get the military the data they'd required before they'd make an offer on the car.'_   
_The result of an overactive braincell colliding with too many plotbunnies and Elfin's fic are here to read._   


**Prologue**

-- Three months ago -- 

"What exactly are we doing here?" Michael asked, looking around Malibu pier, scanning the rows and rows of skaters, joggers, walkers, cyclists and tourists. It was a sunny day, a perfect beach day, and the surf was high. Surfers and bikini-clad women decorated the beach side, vendors went after their business and bike patrols kept an eye on everything.   
Nicholas gave him his interpretation of a smile and leaned back against Karr. "Waiting for my contact. And your lawyer."   
Michael sighed. He hated it when Nick was like that. The man had a load of contacts in the most impossible places and there was barely anything he couldn't come up with for support, but sometimes Michael wondered if this was reality anymore. He had always thought he lived outside reality, but Nick came with his own unreal universe.   
//Define reality// Kitt teased.   
//I'm not getting into a philosophical discussion with you//   
//Passes the time//   
//Turns my brain to mush//   
//Now there's something new//   
//Kitt!//   
Laughter answered him and Michael mentally shook his head.   
"What's he doing here? Surfing?" he asked out loud.   
Nicholas didn't even twitch a muscle. "No, roller blading." He nodded at a young woman coming their way.   
Michael glanced at her, then found the testosterone guided part of his mind appreciating the view. She was maybe in her early thirties, bleached blonde, as it seemed, dressed in bright pink pants and a T-Shirt to match it. Her inline skates were of the same bright pink. She looked like the typical beach babe. Now she braked expertly and smiled at Nick.   
"Hey, Nico, how's the business doing?" she asked, chewing on her gum.   
Michael blinked.   
"Fine. Thought I'd find you here, Lil."   
She smiled again, her eyes roaming over Michael and giving him an appreciating look. Then she ran a hand over Karr's smooth skin. "Hi, honey, nice seeing you again."   
Karr chose not to answer. Lil smiled seductively and Michael knew that every man in the vicinity would give a million to have a blonde like her smiling at him like this.   
"Playing hard to get again, are we?" she said throatily. "Well, you know how to keep a woman wanting....."   
Nick twitched a smile. There was probably a response to this 'play' coming through the link. Michael felt Kitt's amusement as he, too, picked up Karr's reply.   
//You don't want me to repeat it// Kitt chuckled.   
//Probably//   
"Professional or private?" Lil asked, wiping the sexy look off her face, but she was leaning against the warm surface of the Stealth.   
"Professional."   
One dark, sculptured eye brow rose. "Oh. Date line?"   
"ASAP."   
Her forehead wrinkled and she piston-chewed her gum. "Two hours? Your place?" Lil finally asked.   
Nick nodded. "See you there."   
"And I'll see you, honey," Lil said, again caressing Karr's surface. With a last smile at Michael and a nod she went off again, fluidly skating down the beach walk.   
"Ehem...." Michael started. "Care to tell me....?" He gestured at the quickly disappearing roller-blader.   
Nicholas opened Karr's door. "Lilian Tourelle."   
"Yes?"   
"Our lawyer."   
Michael only gaped.

* * *

It was a farce, pure and simple. The Board of Directors at the Foundation had shook their collective heads, all of them very well aware of what had gone on in the past, but none of them had been able to get Jennifer Knight to take back her accusations. She was suing Michael Knight, as well as Nicholas MacKenzie, because of what had happened that fateful night at the mansion; when she had tried to burn Kitt and Karr in the hangar. Karr had run her over by accident, breaking both her legs in the process, and up to this date, she was still not back to health. She had planned a murder and had been injured, now she wanted compensation. But Artificial Intelligence was not life as far as she was concerned; neither Kitt nor Karr were persons.   
When the first letters from her lawyers had come in, Michael had been angry, then amused, then more angry. Nick had simply told him to relax. He was taking care of it: the official way. There would be no better victory than the one won in court. She was demanding millions for the pain and the humiliation, for theft and assault, for all kinds of offenses. It was ludicrous and it was now out in the open. Michael had talked to the Board for a long time, but they had said it was no longer FLAG business. It was a private vendetta against Michael Knight, also including Nick MacKenzie.   
"If she wants a fight, she'll get one," was all Nick had told him.   


It was 6 p.m. when the door to the warehouse opened. The clicking of heels echoed through the vast ground floor and Bonnie, who had been doing some routine checks on Kitt, looked up from her work station. She knew that no one without authorization could come in here, so this had to be someone of those authorized people, probably one of Nick's odd friends. What met her sight was a woman dressed in brightly colored, skin-tight pants, an equally bright tee and high heels. A knap sack was slung over her shoulder, a mass of blonde hair her falling down to roughly the middle of her back. Bonnie blinked.   
The blonde walked straight toward the iron-wrought stairs and, smiling briefly at Bonnie, climbed up to the first floor.   
"Okay, what was that?" she muttered.

*

"She is what?" Bonnie exclaimed.   
"My lawyer," Michael repeated.   
Bonnie opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again, shaking her head. "A lawyer?!" she finally echoed. "Did you look at her? The way she .... she..."   
"Looked at me?" Michael asked gently.   
Bonnie refused to answer, crossing her arms in front of her chest defiantly.   
"Bonnie, I'm not interested in her."   
"As you weren't interested in the countless other, blonde bimbos crossing your path, right?" she snapped.   
"You are jealous!" He shook his head. "Bonnie, please.... I thought you trusted me. I'm not interested in anyone but you." He gently put his hands on her shoulders, smiling. "Really."   
Bonnie continued being defiant and he leaned forward, carefully kissing her, feeling her give under the gentle pressure of his lips. "Unfair," she muttered.   
"All fair." Michael closed his arms around her and she accepted the loving embrace.   
"I'm still not sure this blonde beach babe is the right person to defend you against Jennifer's accusations."   
Michael chuckled. "Trust Nick. I think his judgment concerning people is much better than we give him credit for right now."   
Bonnie sighed. "I know. Still.... she doesn't inspire much confidence when I'm thinking of Jennifer's star lawyers."   
"Don't judge the contents by its packaging," a voice said and they discovered Nick hopping down the stairs and coming over to them. "Lil is the best in this business."   
Bonnie continued to look doubtful. "What business? Bikini modeling?"   
He grinned slightly. "In her free time, Dr. Barstow."   
Bonnie grimaced. "Okay, so she's supposed to be a top-notch lawyer, but what can she do against an armada of company lawyers paid by Jennifer Knight? It's a lost case!"   
"You'll see. I wouldn't call us lost, Doctor." With that Nick turned and walked over to Karr. The two of them left a minute later.   
Bonnie sighed. "Why am I not reassured?" she muttered.   
Michael squeezed her gently. "I think we just have to trust him."   
"Don't we always?"

* * *

The clicking of heels on the marble floor announced Lilian Tourelle's arrival and Bonnie prepared herself for the sight. She wondered what the 'lawyer' would be wearing for the court session. Maybe neon blue hot pants? She could just imagine Jennifer Knight's triumphant smile. And as if on that cue the hated woman appeared out of the hearing room she had been waiting in. Her assistant was pushing the wheelchair toward them.   
"I heard you hired your own," she sneered. "Too bad you didn't accept Devon's offer. Then you would at least have stood a chance!"   
Bonnie bristled, but Michael's restraining hand kept her from flinging some venom at Jennifer.   
That was the moment Lilian Tourelle arrived. Bonnie was barely able to keep herself from gaping. What greeted her was a sight she had definitely not expected. Lilian was dressed in a crisp, conservative skirt and blazer, a blouse and expensive high heels. The blonde hair was swept back, tightly bound and braided into a pony tail and then tied into a bun. Discreet ear rings and matching jewelry around her neck finished the picture of all crisp and business-like. Her suit was impeccable and her tanned face was set into a frigid, impassive expression. The blue eyes were like ice cubes. Unsmiling, she looked at Jennifer Knight as if she was a bothersome insect for her.   
"Ms. Knight? I am Lilian Tourelle, Mr. Knight's lawyer. Pleased to meet you. Shall we proceed?"   
Bonnie wished she had brought a camera along to take a picture of the expression now on Jennifer's face. It was priceless. Her lips were a thin white line of anger and barely restrained outrage, then she gestured at her assistant to wheel her back into the room. Michael and Bonnie followed, accompanied by their lawyer. Devon was already inside.   
"Where's Nick?" Michael asked, keeping his voice low.   
Lilian gave him a smile that was worthy of Nick's, one barely existing. "He'll be here when he is needed. You know how he hates crowds."

* * *

Four days later, the court hearing was over and Jennifer Knight had lost. She was seething with rage, but there was nothing she could do. Her lawyers were advising her not to continue.   
Michael felt a brief surge of triumph, then embraced Kitt, who had sat back in his mind throughout the last four days, watching, trying not to lose himself in the nightmarish memories of the fire and everything that had happened before.   
It was over.   
For now.

* * *

She sat in her expensively furnished living room, gaze fastened on the TV. It was running CNN, but the volume had been turned down.   
Again. They had defeated her again! No. Not 'they'. One single human being, if he was at all human. Nicholas MacKenzie.   
"You are protecting them," Jennifer Knight whispered, rage seeping into her voice. "That stops now."   


**One**

-- Now -- 

Nick felt the burning hot metal ripping into his right wrist, tearing apart muscle and blood vessels, breaking bone. He bit back a scream, but still, a whimper escaped. His fingers automatically first tightened, then went lax, the gun falling uselessly to the ground. He didn't give it a second thought as his left hand closed around the spare gun in his belt. His movements were smooth, trained, completely automatic, and as he whirled to aim at the shooter, the man had no chance. Adrenaline rushed through Nick's system, blanking out the pain, heightening his senses. He fell back on the training he had been ruthlessly given all those many years ago. It had never failed to kick in when he needed it.   
The second gun went off and there was a second of silence, then the sound of a body hitting the ground. Nick felt dizzy as he lowered the weapon, the effects of the last hours settling in. His head was pounding, his right wrist was a blazing well of fire, and his legs were about to give way. The bleeding wound on his shoulder where the first bullet had grazed him was insignificant somehow. He wanted to give in to the pain, embrace the darkness, but he couldn't. Not yet, he told himself. Not yet. He had to function a bit longer.   
Nick stumbled over to his would-be assassin and quickly checked the man. No life signs. The shot had killed him. Nausea rose inside him. It wasn't so much the effects of having killed a man. It were his own injuries. He had been beaten up, without sleep for too long, and now shot. She had hired professionals, but they had met their match, though the match was currently not in the best condition.   
Something touched him along the fraying edges of the block. He had been separated from Karr for two days in a row now, his mind an empty place, and he was yearning to feel the touch of his partner once more. Others would call it a harsh, cold presence, but to Nick, it was the world. It was soft, silky, warming... it was Karr. The separation had kept him alive, had kept him sane, but now it was getting too much.   
There was a loud, thundering noise. The doors of the old building flew open and the well-known black form of Karr burst in. The Stealth came to a full stop not far away and Nick felt the pressure in his head rise.   
"Hey," he whispered. He dropped the block.   
Nick!> The explosion of noise in his head made him stagger and he groaned as the silky black mass of his partner enveloped his feverish mind. Karr touched him, wrapped himself around him, held him. Nick wouldn't let go, not yet. If there was someone else, he would be an easy target.   
Get inside> Karr urged, opening the driver side door.   
"I'll bleed all over the upholstery," Nick mumbled. "It'll be a mess....."   
There was a gentle urging in his mind. Nick, don't be a moron.....>   
He stumbled, falling against the smooth form of the car, the wrist wound bleeding freely now. Nick felt more light-headed, the stress and pain assaulting his mind. Call.... call D'Angelo....> Even his mind-voice was slurring.   
Already did> Karr held him still and Nick crawled into the cockpit of the car. He cradled his wrist, shivering, feeling cold. A soft whimper escaped his lips and Karr gently shushed him. It was all so natural, all so normal, and he didn't even dare to think about it. Two days without Nick, locked into his compromised CPU, had nearly driven him mad. Knight and Kitt are on their way. Knight is furious> Karr added as if in an afterthought.   
"Figured as much," Nick mumbled.   
Karr scanned his partner and tightened his hold. Nick was suffering from shock and he needed medical treatment. They had gone through too many wounds and other injuries for Karr to completely lose it over that, but he was worried and he expressed it. He wasn't leaving his driver alone. Not now. He had just found him again.   
"She failed," Nick sighed.   
Yes. But she won't have another chance!>   
Don't do anything stupid, okay? Don't attack her, don't threaten her....> His voice trailed off and Nick fought for strength to continue. She expects it, partner. Don't give her the pleasure>   
Karr was silent.   
Promise, Karr. Please....> Nick reached for the dark presence in his mind.   
Karr entwined a tendril of his self with his long-time partner. I promise>   
Nick started to slip, but the AI didn't let go. He held on, kept Nick safe, and when Kitt finally arrived in the abandoned building, he was unconscious. Michael leapt out of the TransAm, shock written on his features.   
"I already called a medic," Karr told him levelly as he allowed Knight to check on his driver.   
Somehow, it all appeared to happen very far away. His mind was slipping into a state of equal shock, finally realizing what had happened in the last days, and he was unable to really understand. All he did understand was that Nick was back.   
"Damnit, why did he have to do it alone?" the other man whispered.   
Because he wanted to protect you, Karr thought, acknowledging his brother's presence as Kitt inquired about him. Because it is what we do.   


Kitt was keeping a close eye on Karr as the ambulance wheeled Nick off to be treated at a near-by hospital. Karr was rather quiet, very stable, and he was taking all of this better than Kitt had expected.   
_I am all right, his older brother said as he inquired. _We have worked like this in the past as well.   
Kitt gently touched the darker AI and Karr let him. There was no hesitation, no shying away. They had come a long way. Kitt saw part of his brother wrapped tightly around Nick's presence, and he smiled.   
Karr gently caressed his unconscious driver. _I came close to losing him before. This time was no different. We always face the fear of feeling the link being cut forever.   
Kitt gave him a curious look, noting the slight shiver in his brother's voice. He had thought about Michael's death and what it would mean for him once before, and had decided to never ponder it again. Karr had been faced with this reality long before Kitt, almost on a daily basis because of Nick's job.   
_But he didn't have to do it alone, Kitt argued. _He could have turned to Michael for help.   
_It would have endangered you.   
_Because of the virus?   
_Possible. It could have reached you through the private link.   
Kitt sighed. Karr turned to him, strangely balanced. A tendril softly stroked over Kitt's bright spark.   
_It was for your own protection, Kitt. Yours and Kni....Michael's. It is what we do.   
_But.... wait, no! You cannot just go out and die for us, Karr! Neither of us expects it! We don't want it!   
A sad smile touched the black presence. _If there will ever be a time when a decision has to be made between the two of us, it will always be you, Kitt. Always.   
Shock settled in the other AI. _Karr....   
_You are precious, Kitt, Karr whispered softly. _You are the future.   
Kitt swallowed heavily. _Karr, no, he then said firmly. _You are not worth any less than me!   
_It's not worth... it's the future. You and your driver, you are the future.   
Kitt shook his head. What had gotten into Karr? What was this all about? He firmly wrapped a tendril around his older brother. _Stop that! Stop that immediately!   
Shock. It had to be shock. Nick had been blocked from Karr for so long, he had kept his emotional upheaval to himself, and in the end Nick had gotten himself badly shot up. Karr was reacting to the stress of the last days. Kitt didn't know all there was to it yet, but he intended to find out. The single information that there had been a viral infection inside his brother's CPU was bad enough. But there seemed to be more.   
_We are equals, you and me. Neither of us is favored!   
Karr was silent, turning to look at Nick. Kitt sent a thin wisp of his presence along the link Karr upheld with Nick.   
_You two are not cannonfodder for us. You are our friends. Karr? Like in a daze, Karr turned to look at him. Kitt smiled and hugged him. _All will be fine when Nick is healing.   
_Thank you, Karr whispered.   
_Always.

* * *

Nick felt a smooth darkness envelop him, keep him warm even if the black mass appeared so cold. It wasn't cold, he mused as he absent-mindedly traced over the silky surface. It was warm and could be gentle. Watching Karr from this point of view was like looking into a pot of ink. Nothing of it was frightening. It was part of him, part of what defined him, and he loved it. A smile creased his mental features.   
Hey> he whispered as Karr hugged him slightly.   
Karr gave a non-verbal greeting, fluctuating all around him like a large, dark ocean.   
How long was I out?> Nick asked sleepily, feeling comfortable where he was, not wanting to open his eyes.   
Thirteen point three-four hours. You are in the hospital and Chris has already checked you. Knight has returned home for the time being. It is night>   
Nick settled back into the embrace of his partner. Thanks> he murmured.   
It wasn't any worse than what I usually have to put up with> Karr teased.   
Nick laughed softly. He still felt tired and worn, unable to really open his eyes. He trusted his partner enough to keep him physically safe as well, to have insured that he was where he could relax his guard.   
Sleep> Karr whispered.   
Nick drew the dark presence closer and Karr let him. He drifted off in the secure hold of his partner.

* * *

Nick's wrist was fractured and broken. Due to the open wound, Dr. Christa D'Angelo had not put a cast around it. She had given Nick the stern advice not   
to strain his wrist while wrapping it in a tight bandage. He would have to change it every other day, so that meant visiting his physician every other day. It would take a while for the bones to mend. He had been in surgery to get the wrist set and the torn flesh stitched. With his right hand immobile, Nick felt completely helpless. He muttered curses under his breath and Michael watched him with a bemused expression on his face.   
"What's so damn funny?" MacKenzie demanded.   
He knew he was treading on dangerous ground, but Michael chuckled. "You. Why don't you let me help?"   
Nick glared, then went back to making himself a sandwich. Karr gave a sigh through the link.   
You are behaving like a child, Nicholas>   
Oh, shut up!> One half of the sandwich almost landed on the floor and Nick glowered at it.   
See?>   
Smart ass!>   
He sank down onto the couch, his body aching in all the wrong places, and briefly closed his eyes. His wrist was just an annoyance, but the drugs that were still in his system were wreaking havoc on his control, and the bruises were painful. Nick finally opened his eyes and became aware of Michael watching him. His friend had patiently waited, hadn't asked a single question, but now he was more than just curious.   
"Nick, what happened?" Michael simply asked.   
Nick sighed and absentmindedly rubbed over the bandage. "I ran into a problem."   
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I'd call someone shooting at you a problem. Why, Nick? Who did you piss off?"   
He quirked a smile. "Same people as always."   
Michael gave him his 'Nick, come on' look. MacKenzie gazed at the injured wrist, then at his friend. There was little he actually still hid from Michael, but this was something he had not wanted him to share. Now it was over and nothing could be done about it....   
"Four days ago," Nick now started, voice level, "I was informed that someone had taken out a contract on me."   
Michael gaped. "What?" he blurted.   
"It's nothing new, actually. I had to deal with threats like that in the past." Nick shrugged. "I dealt with them. Sometimes they were empty threats, sometimes more serious. This one, I knew I had to take serious. You were in danger by the contract on me as well, so it had to be over soon."   
Michael's brows dipped into a steep frown. He hated to be left out of things as serious as this, but he kept his silence.   
"The assassins failed."   
"Plural?"   
Nick nodded slowly. "The contractor took no chances."   
"Do you know who hired them?"   
Silence. Michael sighed deeply.   
"Nick....."   
Blue eyes met his annoyed ones. "She did."   


**Two**

-- about a week ago -- 

A shadowy, but definitely female figure sat in front of the screen. Around her, the office room was kept in darkness. The curtains were drawn closed and the lights kept dim. To her conversation partner at the other end of the computer link, she was nothing but a dark outline.   
"Well?" she asked, her voice cold and impatient.   
The man she was talking to gave her a narrow-eyed, calculating look. "It will cost you," he finally said.   
"You can rest assured, your payment will be more than enough."   
"I hope so. He is good. I know him."   
"Rumors," she said disdainfully.   
"Ah, but rumors always hold a kernel of truth. I know the target from more than just rumors. To take him down, I'll need the best. They want more money the moment they know the risk factor."   
"Send me your bill," was the answer. "All I want is results. I want him out of my way!"   
The man nodded. "I accept."   
With that the screen went dark.   
Jennifer Knight switched on the lights, smiling coldly as she powered down the computer. Soon, she'd be rid of the greatest thorn in her side.

* * *

"Go. On. Vacation." Nick almost glared at the taller man, trying to get his point across.   
Michael sighed. "All right, all right, all right! I'm going, but I don't have to like it, okay?"   
"This is a one man job, Michael, believe me. I'll be away from here for a few days, so take the chance, get Bonnie and unwind." Nick checked something or other on his computer screen, then shut the laptop down. "See you on Tuesday."   
Michael shrugged and walked over to where Kitt was waiting. He opened the door and then turned back to Nick again. The other man looked up from where he was stowing the laptop away, a frown on his features, and a warning in his eyes.   
"I'm going," Michael hurried to assure him, then slipped into the driver's seat. "Sheesh!"   
Kitt chuckled.   
"What's so funny?" his driver demanded.   
"Karr just gave me a kick as well and told me to get on with our vacation."   
"Huh, they are rather insistent about getting rid of us, don't you think? Any idea what kind of job it is Nick's taking on?"   
"As always, no."   
Michael backed the black TransAm out of the warehouse. "And as always, we'd rather not know, right? Okay, let's pick up Bonnie and do what we've been told."   


* * *

Nick drove Karr in the shop around 2 p.m. and parked him in the usual spot. The place had a rather greasy and dirty appearance on the inside, and from the outside it looked like the building had been condemned a long time ago. Actually, it was in a pretty good shape compared to the other buildings in the street. It was located in an area of town no sane person would venture into after dark and few visited throughout the day. The area was ruled by gangs who chased each other through narrow side streets. They knew this particular section of the street to be off limits. Newer members had had to learn it the hard way when a warning hadn't been enough.   
The former factory was Jo 'Bear' Pawlinger's workshop. No one called him Mr. Pawlinger and except for his mother, no one called him Jo either. The gangs knew him, respected him and sometimes asked for his mechanic skills. It was Nick's place to go when he needed parts or whole sections fixed, or when he simply wanted an upgrade. Old, dusty conveyer belts could be seen further down in the large hall he now parked Karr in. The smell of grease and oil hung in the air. One wall was hidden behind stacks of crates.   
"Hey, Mac!" Casey Jones, Bear's long-time assistant, bounced out of the basement, smiling brightly at him.   
Casey was a strange sight in this dark and oily environment. She would have better fit somewhere around a beach, wearing a skimpy bikini. As it was, she was dressed in a work overall and had a tool belt around her slender waist.   
"Hello, Casey."   
"Bear's busy with another customer around town. He told me you were coming today."   
"Is everything ready?"   
She nodded. "We can do the upgrade in no time, depending on our charge's cooperation." She shot the black Stealth a look.   
Karr rumbled but refrained from commenting.   
"I'm sure he'll behave," Nick teased.   
I'm not a child!>   
Of course you're not>   
Another rumble followed, this time solely in his mind as Karr picked up the humor in Nick's statement. Nick patted the black roof.   
"Okay, take your time and give me a call when everything's ready." He walked over to the midnight blue bike he kept parked at the shop. He grabbed the helmet off the saddle and gave Casey a brief smile.   
"See ya, Mac!" she called cheerfully.   
Nick left a minute later.

* * *

Dr. Alexandra Christopher walked into the kitchen of the warehouse building, rubbing her eyes, feeling tired but more relaxed than when she had arrived last night on the red-eye. She could have taken an earlier plane, but that would have meant rearranging too much of her schedule, so she had ended up arriving in the middle of the night. She had been surprised when Nick had picked her up with a blue bike instead of Karr, but he had briefly explained about the necessary upgrade. Well, she had packed lightly and part of her clothes were stashed in his wardrobe as well.   
Now she poured herself some coffee from the machine and walked around the silent building. Alex descended the stairs and leaned against the half open front doors, enjoying the freshness of the air. She liked being here; she liked the peace and quiet, despite the fact that this wasn't a remote wilderness location.   
"Hey," a soft voice said and Alex jumped. The coffee cup nearly flew out of her fingers.   
"MacKenzie!" she hissed, eyes lighting up with anger. "Don't do that!"   
Nick smiled one of his half-smiles, nursing his own cup of coffee. "Wake-up call," he teased.   
"I am awake, thank you very much!"   
"Not enough to hear me."   
"No one hears you coming! You seem to float over the ground!" Alex angrily drank from her cooling coffee, slightly miffed that she hadn't heard him. Not that she had ever heard him in the past. Nick's continuing smile irritated her even more.   
"Want something special?" she asked, not willing to fall for his smile already.   
"First of all I wanted to thank you for coming."   
Alex shrugged. "Hey, it's not every day you get invited to a warehouse." She grinned. "Even if it belongs to you boy-friend."   
"I thought it might be a change from so much mud," MacKenzie teased.   
"No appreciation for the beauty of nature!" Alex growled.   
Nick put his cup down. "Oh, I have a great deal of appreciation," he said softly, stepping closer.   
She raised an eyebrow. "By insulting my work place?"   
Nick put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Your boy-friend would never do that," he whispered and bent forward, gently brushing his lips over hers.   
Alex snaked her arms around his waist, answering his kiss. Nick rarely got this emotionally open 'in public' and she was surprised at his reaction, at his tight embrace. As they separated she looked into the ice blue eyes.   
"Nick?"   
"Yes?"   
"Something wrong?" she asked carefully, not wanting to destroy the moment, but she saw the expression in his eyes and she knew he was keeping something back.   
Nick was about to ward the question off, but then sighed. He buried his head in her hair, inhaling deeply, hugging her close. Alex started to rub his back. These moment were rare and she treasured them.   
"What is it?" she asked calmly.   
"Everything," he confessed softly. "A lot has happened lately and it's been.... straining."   
Alex understood without asking for details. She was aware of his job, his responsibilities, his link to Karr, almost everything. Their relationship was based on the trust he put into her, her acceptance of his life style and past, and it had worked for a long, long time now.   
"So I'm here for you to unwind?" she murmured. "Alex's spa, hm?"   
He chuckled softly, raising his eyes to look into hers. "Whatever you want to be. I'm just glad you are here. Thanks."   
"You are welcome. Always."

* * *

The message came in at night. Alex was asleep already, curled up in bed. Nick had left the bedroom to check the daily activities around the Net. It was a routine he rarely broke. He frowned as he came upon the message left in a mailbox he sometimes used. It was only a few minutes old.   
'Call Joker' it only said.   
Nick gazed at the trail it had left over the virtual world, bouncing off several relay stations, the source completely shrouded in mystery. He would be able to find the sender if he took his time, but there was an easier way. He took his cell phone and dialed a number.   
"Hello, old friend," the voice at the other end greeted him.   
"I got your message."   
"So the old box is still in use. Good. Listen, to make this short: someone asked about you."   
"Who?"   
"The bad guys."   
"I am one of the bad guys," Nick said humorlessly.   
"I'm talking about the really bad ones," the voice answered with a chuckle. "Probably old acquaintances. Looks like you are a wanted man."   
Nick frowned. "How bad?"   
"Someone offered a fee for information and more for your termination."   
Okay, very bad, Nick thought. It wasn't really anything new, just currently unexpected. "Who took the offer?"   
"No idea, but I could inquire."   
"Usual payment."   
"Usual methods."   
With that the phone call was over. Nick placed the cell onto the desk, folding his hands under his chin and gazing thoughtfully at the worn table top. Someone had taken out a contract on him. Cute. Depending on how much and who, he would have to take precautions.   


Three hours later, he received another message. This time, he didn't call anyone, just read the contents and frowned.   
'The amount is unknown, but the contractor pays big time. Be careful, old friend. You have someone on your tail who doesn't like you.'   
No news there, he sighed and closed the laptop. No news there at all. Stretching, Nick looked over to where Alex was soundly asleep. He would have to make sure nothing happened to her. Whoever was after him might just use friends to get to him.

* * *

Casey was whistling to herself as she started to go about whatever of Karr's innards was currently on display. Bear had returned an hour ago and had simply checked on her once. He was the mechanic among them, the one who worried about the body. Casey and Ed usually worked on the soul, for a lack of a better word. Ed had said he would come by tomorrow to work on the problems concerning the interface between the old and new hardware. Casey was preparing the general set-up.   
Karr was a silent patient, as always. He didn't talk much, if at all. He answered Casey's questions, but he didn't make small talk. As Casey took apart another part of him, he simply watched. He had to trust her to do it right, as he had done so many times before. She was part of the team who took care of him, who had rebuilt him, actually. He would have rather had Nick around, but Nick wanted to spend the time with Alex, which was fine with Karr. His friend needed a bit of rest and relaxation, something to unwind him, and Dr. Christopher was the right person for that particular job. Last night had been testament to that.   
"Okay, Karr, here's the new HD," Casey told him and brandished a sealed package. The light of the garage reflected of the silvery material and there was a bunch of numbers and letters imprinted on the sticker on the top side. A lot of hand scrawled writing was on a second sticker. "Custom made and sure to last you another year until you might need a new one. Or Nick stumbles across something new and groundbreaking for us to incorporate into you CPU."   
Karr didn't comment. He was looking forward to the upgrade. He kept a close eye on Casey as she started to insert the hard drive, doing a few preliminary tests already as she connected it to his system. There was a brief sparking sensation and he frowned, but nothing else happened. He felt normal. It must have been because of the new extension.

* * *

"So this could either be a joke or for real?"   
Nick looked at the dark-haired woman he had shared a good part of his life with and nodded slowly. It had taken him until the wee hours of morning to make up his mind, but he had finally decided to tell Alex the truth. She deserved it and she had to know what was going on.   
"Whatever it is, I take it very seriously," he said softly. "Because of it, I don't want you to be here when something goes down."   
She leaned back into the armchair and sighed. "Well, so much for a nice, long weekend, hm?"   
Nick smiled ruefully. "Sorry, Lex."   
"Not your fault. I hope." Alex gave him a narrow-eyed look. "Or did you catch someone on the wrong foot lately?"   
"Actually, I did. Some, at least. Nothing serious, though. You know my line of work."   
She nodded. "Okay, so my stay here has been cancelled?"   
Nick didn't reply. He felt bad about it all already. He had been looking forward to this weekend and he had wanted Alex to be here, but it wasn't possible. If someone was after him, she was in the way. She could be used as a target, as a hostage, as whatever the assassin sent after him might think of. Heavens knew, he had a few ideas what to do with a target's girl-friend!   
Alex rose and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "It's okay, Nick. I understand. I don't want to end up right in the middle of a firefight, so I'll pack my bags."   
He kissed her gently. "Thanks."   
They left several hours later.

*

The hotel bar was a small, French restaurant-bar combination, the furniture light wood, lots of plants decorating the tinted windows with their wooden frames. There was a TV up over the bar counter and some of the patrons were watching a soccer game between Spain and Italy. Nick sat in one of the booths with the hard wooden table that was covered with a blue cloth. He had his laptop open and was scrolling through files. A waiter had brought him a coffee a minute ago. There was a half full glass of something dark and sparkling, as well as a bowl of pretzels and nuts next to him.   
"You are late."   
The brunette who had approached the booth raised one eyebrow and smiles, sliding in on the opposite side. "Nice to see you, too, Mac."   
He looked up from the laptop. "What have you got?"   
The woman waved at the waiter and ordered some coffee, then opened the small, slender briefcase she had carried with her. She pulled out a CD and handed it over to him. Nick simply inserted it into the CD-drive of the laptop while she studied him with her hands folded under her chin.   
"Not much," he finally commented.   
"All I could find. Looks like you are currently on top of Craig's list, Mac. What new enemies did you recently make?"   
"Funny. Everyone asks me the same question."   
"It's a sensible one to ask. Craig knows you. He'd never have taken on the job if it wasn't backed up by a lot of money. And I mean a lot. You have your reputation, Mac. The others said no to the offer; he agreed. That means someone doubled the price. Or more."   
Nick studied the data on his screen, then looked up. The woman watched him calmly. "There is only him?"   
"As far as everyone knows, yes. But Craig never works alone."   
"Well, I think it's the best if I get the whole thing out in the open and over with," Nicholas just said and shut the laptop.   
"Good luck, my friend."   
"You think I'll need it?"   
"I think it can't be wrong to have some luck," she answered with a smile.   


**Three**   


The vacation had been the best idea he had had in months, Michael decided, stretching out on the warm sand, enjoying the sunshine. After the whole mess with Jennifer and the court hearing, which she had lost and they had won with flying colors, he had needed to unwind. Two cases had interrupted this idea before, but now he was free to enjoy those few days.   
Bonnie was sitting under a large umbrella, after she had complained about sunburn, and was reading a book. To his surprise and endless teasing, it was a murder mystery novel, not a book on engineering or robotics. His jesting had gotten him a handful of sand on his skin, sticking to it because of the freshly applied sunblocker.   
//Enjoying yourself?// he asked.   
//As much as you can enjoy people bumping into you and little children leaving smears of ice cream all over your skin// Kitt replied.   
//You love kids//   
//As long they stay away from me// was the reply.   
Michael chuckled and turned on his stomach, gazing at Bonnie over the rim of his sunglasses. "Kitt's complaining about ice cream stains," he told her as she shot him a questioning look.   
She grinned. "The MBS might not hold. I think we have to reapply it after this trip is over."   
//Very funny// was the dry remark.   
Michael translated the mind-voice into words and Bonnie grinned.   


Kitt sat on the parking spot further up the beach, keeping a close eye on a group of pre-school children who were running around, playing with their beach ball. None of them came too close and none had ice cream. Two car crazy teenagers had given him a closer look. They had swapped technical gibberish, most of it not even applying to him, but he had kept his silence. Now he reached inside himself, checking on the other link he had, wondering how Karr was doing. Nick had wanted to take him for an upgrade and Karr had groused about Ed Hallston being there throughout it. Ed and Karr didn't get along, in Karr's opinion, mostly because the computer expert was always trying to 'socialize', as Karr called it.   
Kitt smiled. He checked the link and frowned briefly as he encountered a block. Karr had slid it into place the moment the upgrade had started, but it had been there for a while now.   
_Karr?   
No reply. Then again, with the block, he wouldn't be able to really reach his brother. The worry stayed, but he tried to dismiss it. It had to be the upgrade.

* * *

Nick had spent the day moving around town, dropping in at places, making himself known. He didn't care if the enemy saw him; he counted on it. The information he got from those who were willing to sell it, or even gave it for free, was slowly forming a picture and he didn't like the looks of it. It was already turning dark as he guided the bike toward Molly's place. She was the last person he would see for today, since he had planned to go cyberhunting tonight.   
He thought he saw a movement in the shadows as he left the bike next to the bar. He turned to get a better look when suddenly something heavy crashed on his right shoulder. Pain exploded in his arm, then numbing every nerve. Nick went to his knees with a hiss of pain. Half dazed he tried to roll to his left when someone grabbed him by the front of his jacket and pulled him off the ground. Nick looked into the cold eyes of a square, scarred face. The man had to be more than a head taller than him and he was built like a brick wall. One of Craig's goons. So Craig was going to work him over and then kill him? How original.   
But Nick didn't plan to play along. It was time to let Craig know he wasn't easily brought down.   
His next move was swift and elicited a cry from the scarred goon, who immediately dropped the more slender man to the ground. Nick rolled away, clenching his teeth and pain shot through his arm. Someone else appeared in his line of sight and he immediately attacked as well, deflecting blows, dealing out his own. One sharp jab to the throat made the second goon howl and he stumbled back. Goon #1 was back on his feet and had drawn a gun. Nick didn't hesitate. He pulled his own weapon in one smooth move. Goon #1 never had a chance. There was a single, muffled shot, then it was over. Nick let his weapon's arm drop and turned to his second attacker, who scrambled to his feet, snorting like a mad bull. Nick raised his gun, aiming for the head.   
"One chance," he said flatly. "Run."   
As dumb as he looked, the man didn't have to think about it. He turned and fled. Nick let the gun fall to his side. The pain was still there, but lessening, and in a few hours, it would only be an ache. Nothing broken.   
"Strike one, Craig," he muttered, stepping over the body.

* * *

Karr didn't feel well. It wasn't so much a feeling as it was a state of mind. He felt weird, as if he was losing his connection to the outside world, and in his CPU, a strange, humming noise was drilling into his mind. He had tried to find the source of it, but it couldn't be located. The most problematic feature was, that whenever he tried to move toward the link to Nick, the humming turned into a screech that hurt his senses.   
After an hour, the humming changed. It turned into pressure.   
The pressure rose and fell.   
After two hours, Karr was severely doubting his own conscious mind. He couldn't be where he was. He couldn't be here. He was somewhat aware of his surroundings, but he could not quite get himself to move from where he was. He felt like he was stuck in a swamp. And everything had suddenly changed. His perception of things had been altered and his mind no longer felt like his own.   
Thirty minutes later, something went off, sounding like an alarm. He didn't hear any of the commotion outside his CPU. He didn't hear Ed Hallston shouting orders, Casey cursing over non-functional links and input, he only felt the immense pressure on his mind.   
Without warning, he suddenly fell. Away from the link, away from the world.   
Karr froze.

*

"Oh my god," Casey breathed, staring at the read-out in front of her. "I don't believe it! I don't fucking believe it!" She slammed her fist on the table and the tools rattled.   
Ed was leaning with his back against a stack of old tires, gaze resting on the black Stealth. "Rate?" he only wanted to know.   
"Too damn fast! It's already compromised most of his CPU and I can't seem to freakin' stop it!" Casey glared at the hapless computer screen.   
"Where did you get the hard drive from?" Bear rumbled. He was standing in front of Karr, arms crossed over his massive chest.   
"Same source I always do. Frank's."   
Bear frowned. "I think I'll have to pay dear old Frank a visit." He turned to leave the shop. "You two do whatever it takes to get that thing out of him!"   
"What about Nick?"   
"I left him a message. It hasn't been called yet."   
Ed frowned and then walked over to his own workplace. "Okay, let's get the armada up against our intruder." He started to type commands.   
Casey continued glaring at her own computer where all her anti-virus programs were battling against the foreign program invading Karr. She only hoped the AI was strong enough to last under the assault.

*

Kitt felt a brief shiver run through his CPU, then it was gone. Nothing at all. The icy feeling remained in his memory though. What had just happened? And where had it come from?   
Michael was in bed. He was sleeping. He wasn't dreaming, nor did he have a nightmare. His presence was calm and pulsing gently, as always. Kitt himself felt fine, but he ran a self-diagnosis anyway. It came up without any glitches. And Karr was blocking him due to the upgrade. Kitt trailed a touch over the smooth block. Nothing had come through there, right?

* * *

Nick sat at Molly's counter and nursed a glass of cold Coke. He didn't feel in the mood for beer and the headache starting just behind his eyes told him to lay off the alcohol. His right arm was still aching, but he could move it and all his fingers, so no worries there. He'd probably have a big bruise by tomorrow morning. Molly was talking to one of her customers, then nodded and walked over to him.   
"You just had to use a gun, right?" she asked and sat down next to him, watching her waiters and the guests with one eye.   
Nick shrugged. "It came to mind."   
"Well, no one saw you and Mick is taking care of the guy. Looks like Craig tried the usual method of beating you up for later elimination or he hoped he could get rid of you that way."   
Nick took a swallow from the soda. "Wrong thought. Do you know where I can find him?"   
"Probably left town already."   
"He still has a job. Me."   
"He has people he can spare, Nick. He won't dirty his own hands now." Molly shot him a strange look. "Do you know who hired him?"   
"I was hoping you could tell me."   
The woman shrugged. "All I heard is that it's something corporate."   
Nick frowned. "Corporate?"   
"Ring a bell?"   
"No, not yet, but it brings up some suspects. I'll have to check that out. Anything else?"   
"Nothing your other sources haven't already told you. Nick, be careful."   
"I always am," he said and slid off the chair, leaving the half full glass behind.   
His head started to pound even more.

* * *

"The virus has been inserted," the technician said, checking the read-outs on his screen.   
Jennifer Knight smiled. "Very good." She left the computer room, feeling strangely elated. It paid to buy the best. It paid to have money to buy their services.   
Nicholas MacKenzie would suffer for his meddling in her affairs. Dearly. She would destroy his car, his life, his existence. The killer she had hired wouldn't fail; she had his assurance. The moment MacKenzie was out of the picture, Kitt was hers for the taking.

* * *

Nick came home late. It was nothing new for him. The message waiting for him on his laptop was. He was on his bike and racing toward the shop in no time.   


**Four**   


Robert Craig saw himself as a professional. He worked with the best, he was paid good money, and his success rate was almost perfect. The few failures were only because of employee short-comings. Like right now. His hired hands had failed to take out MacKenzie, and one had been killed in the process. No great loss there. The other had come back, telling him right away not to expect him to try again. He had only agreed to go after MacKenzie because Craig had named the right sum. Well, he would have to fall back on Plan B now. A friend had warned him about taking on MacKenzie, but he had ignored the warning. The money he was being paid was enough to make up for little drawbacks or problems.   
His customer had made it clear that it was supposed to be an accident. Only as a worst case solution would a shooting be allowed. Craig sighed. Bullets were nice and clean, and they worked most of the time. Having someone beaten up and left to die was such a mess. There were other methods and he'd have to fall back on them now.   
He dialed a number and waited for the call to be answered.

* * *

As always, the shop was dark and appeared abandoned, but grouped around the currently only occupant of the huge hall, three men were talking softly. One was on a cell phone, the second one was addressing a much more silent third man.   
"Casey has tried everything with no result so far," Bear said, dark eyes on Nick. "Ed called in some favors and we're getting some kick-butt anti-virus programs in the next hour."   
"Send me the bill," Nick said tonelessly. His eyes were resting on the black Stealth.   
"Nick...."   
"Who is responsible?" Nick simply asked, still not looking at Bear.   
"Well, Frank can't tell me anymore. He's dead. Police is swarming all over the place. Friend of mine said someone used him. I followed the trail of the hard drive through the system, but it's a dead end."   
He nodded slowly.   
Bear worried his lower lip with his teeth. He had known Nick for a long, long time now. Their relationship had started even before Nick had been employed by Wilton Knight. Bear knew the younger man, and he thought himself among one of the few experts when it came to Nicholas MacKenzie and his moods. In the past years, Nick had come to him for technical or mechanical help, and he had come to him when he had wanted Karr rebuilt all those years ago. At the time, Bear had thought it to be the most stupid idea MacKenzie had ever had. Today he knew that without Karr, Nick would either be dead or less than human. Now Karr was declining rapidly, his own anti-virus programs not enough to battle the intruder.   
"All we can say is that the virus is something professional," he now said into the silence that was only broken by Ed's short grunts as he listened to the guy on the cell phone. "Really professional. It didn't show up on Casey's scans at all."   


Nick didn't look up. His eyes were dark, his face a mask.   
Karr?> he tried gently.   
No reply. There was nothing at all. His partner had slid a block in place and sealed it. Or the virus had shut him off. It was almost like being separated by the cuff. The headache started to grow worse and he winced. His shoulders and neck muscles were one massive cramp. Taking the bottle of painkillers, he swallowed three, ignoring Bear's disapproving look. They were heavy-duty pain reducers, the ones that wouldn't make him drowsy, though if he had to take them for a prolonged time, they would drop him sooner or later.   
"Anything?" the mechanic asked.   
Nick shook his head. "Nothing."   
"Maybe it's better this way. "A murderous look came his way and the dark-skinned man raised his hands defensively. "Whoa, easy there. Listen, we're doing everything we can."   
"I know. And so will I."   
Nick walked over to the car and ran a hand over the smooth, dark skin. Bear, Ed and Casey would do everything, Nick was sure of it. But was it enough? Who had done this? Why? Who knew about Karr and who could have developed such a professional virus? The usual warmth of the MBS-shielded skin seemed colder, as if Karr was no longer alive. He recoiled at the thought.   
Hold on> Nick whispered. Help is on its way>   
"Call me," was all he said out loud, then he went over to the bike.   
Bear nodded slowly. When Nick had left, Ed surfaced from his computer.   
"Not good," the older man remarked.   
"Complete mess," Bear muttered.

* * *

A 24-hours coffee shop had proven to be a life savior for Nick. Sitting at a corner table, sipping the hot liquid, he tried to relax. There had been worse times, he told himself. Much worse. He had lived a life before Karr, before the link in his mind had been activated, and he had been under much more pressure. Just this time, he was missing something he had had before, something intimate and personal. Not a friend or a partner or a colleague; Karr. He was beyond definition for a companion. He was part of Nick.   
He shivered, feeling cold despite the warmth. Someone had managed to insert a virus into a hard drive he had ordered Casey to buy. From a reliable source. Most his material was bought from Frank's and he had never had any trouble. Frank was a reliable and trustworthy supplier. So who had managed to slip the virus in? He would have to run a search for this, maybe employ some professional help. He knew the people for that. Whoever was responsible, he would suffer. Dearly!   
Finishing the coffee, Nick rose and left the coffee shop, hands jammed into the pockets of his jacket. He walked toward his bike when suddenly, blinding white light hit him. He had only a split-second to react, and flung himself backwards, onto the sidewalk and out of reach of the car, which sped away before he managed to get a good look at the driver.   
"Are you all right?" a voice called and the shocked looking employee from the coffee shop ran toward him.   
Nick summoned up a smile, brushing off the dirt from his jacket. "Yeah. I'm okay."   
"Idiot drunk!" the woman exclaimed. "He nearly ran you over!"   
"Nothing happened," he told her. "I'll be okay. Thanks for your concern."   
"Want to call the police?"   
Nick shook his head. "I don't even know the model."   
"What do people think, drinking and driving?"   
He managed to calm the woman down and finally made his way to the bike. Nick had no doubt about what this had just been. Hit and run. Craig.   
"Strike two," he muttered. "Craig, you are getting on my nerves."

* * *

Nick sat on the couch, all lights turned down, gazing at the little puddle of light spread across the living room from the skylight. It was a rather bright night, with an almost full moon, and it was enough to see by so he wouldn't fall over the furniture. Reaching into his mind, touching the smooth wall keeping Karr blocked from him, he pressed his mental hand against it.   
Listening. Hard.   
Feeling. Nothing.   
Nick felt a spike of pain and reached for the painkillers. Damnit, they didn't work for as long as he had hoped. Four hours had passed and everything had already worn off. He swallowed three pills with water and leaned back, waiting for them to work. The pain was making him slow and the coldness in his mind was spreading. Nick would never have thought that Karr's presence made such a difference, but thinking about it now, it as only normal. They had been in each other's mind for over a decade now. They belonged to each other.   
Nick shivered.   
Wish you were here, he thought, feeling an unaccustomed wave of sadness and longing rise inside of him. He squelched the emotions and put a lid on it.   
Nick didn't think Craig had done the virus job. Craig had no idea about Karr. Few people actually knew more about the Stealth and all those were people Nick trusted with the information. So who? Why? Someone hired to take him out through Karr? But his partner was currently in a coma, unable to even talk to Nick, and though it would be a strain to work with the block, Nick didn't see any drawbacks. Karr's mind was quiet. Cold. Unresponsive.   
He had never felt the silence before. Nick swallowed and rubbed his throbbing temples. Karr's presence had always been there, a cold warmth of darkness. Alive. Pulsing. Simply there. Now there was simply noting at all, only the block behind the comatose AI lay.   
Think of your current, more pressing problem, he told himself. There was an assassin set on him and the man had already tried it twice. He had failed, but he wouldn't fail again. It would be of little use, though the satisfaction might be immense, to take Craig out. He had given the order to some of his goons.   
Coward, Nick thought.   
But a coward would also leave trails, so he might be able to find the person behind the job. Someone not out of his immediate circle of long-time enemies, someone corporate. He frowned as a thought struck him. She wouldn't dare!   
Nick set to work.

* * *

Kitt was more than worried. It was bordering to frantic. Karr had been silent for three days now and there was no other explanation as a block the older AI willfully kept in place. A complete block. This wasn't just the one he used when Nick and he were on assignment, to keep negative backlashes from flooding Kitt. This was complete and it had to be draining.   
//Maybe it's because of the update?// Michael tried to calm him.   
//No. No, this is more. Michael, something it wrong!// Kitt insisted, pushing against the block again and again. It didn't give.   
Michael frowned and wondered whether or not to call Nick. If his friend was on assignment, he wouldn't take a call from his 'caretaker' very well. He watched a bunch of roller-blading teenagers.   
"Penny for your thoughts?" An ice cream cone was held under his nose and Michael smiled at Bonnie.   
"It's nothing. I hope."   
She frowned. "Problems?"   
"Karr is blocking Kitt and has been doing so ever since he went for the upgrade. Kitt's worried because the block cuts him off completely. It shouldn't."   
Bonnie looked thoughtful. She wasn't too familiar with the link between the two AIs and sometimes it scared her, thinking of the more ruthless Karr unit being connected to 'her baby', but she knew for Kitt to be worried about something Karr did, or didn't do, it took a lot. The bond between them was tight.   
"You want to call Nick?"   
"I'm trying to think of a way to check on him and Karr without being too obvious about it."   
"Call Bear?" Bonnie suggested.   
Michael felt like slapping his forehead. "Award for plain stupidity," he sighed.   
Bonnie grinned around her ice cream cone. If anyone could tell them about Karr's update, it was the owner of the shop.   
//You want me to call him?// Kitt asked immediately.   
//Yes. I'll be there in a moment//   
Michael and Bonnie rose and walked to where Kitt was parked.

* * *

Morning had broken, but Nick had ignored sunrise completely, just like sunset last evening. He was busy and as long as he was working, he didn't have to think about the ever-aching hole inside his mind.   
By mid-morning, a list of corporations Nick had crossed paths with in a rather bad way lay on the table. There was a bunch of more paper, adding a few facts or taking the companies out of the picture. On top of the list was a name Nicholas was most familiar with: Foundation for Law and Government. FLAG. His current on and off employer, Michael and Kitt's employer. Jennifer Knight.   
Delving deeply into her files, Nick started his search programs. If she was behind it.... he gritted his teeth.   
FLAGNet appeared on his screen and he started to hack.   
An hour later he was inside Jennifer Knight's files, following her trails in and out of the company net, and he came across some very interesting files. Two hours after he had begun, he hit the jackpot.   
"Last nail to your coffin," he whispered.   
She would pay for it. Dearly. Not with her life. That would be too cheap. Nick stared hard at the computer screen, his mind coming up with all those murderous little solutions, but he knew he couldn't kill her. Not just because of Michael and Kitt, though those were the main reasons. He also wouldn't let her off the hook that cheaply.   
"You went too far." His voice echoed softly in the emptiness of the warehouse.   
With a single flick of his finger, he sent off an email to an old acquaintance. This would set into motion an avalanche of events, none of them too pleasant and all of them guaranteed permanent.   
Nick rose, his head throbbing. He had a visit to pay to someone.

* * *

"I can't tell you anything!" Craig whined, wide eyes staring at Nick's emotionless face.   
"Think again," the dark-haired man said coldly.   
"Listen, you know how it works. You get the job offer, you count the money, you take it or leave it."   
"You should have left it, Craig."   
Craig wheezed something, his forehead glistening with sweat. Nick was sitting opposite the heavy mahogany desk, a sleek, dully gleaming gun aiming at the other man. But it wasn't the gun that had the assassin scared and looking ashen. It was Nick's faint smile. It was more frightening than any weapon MacKenzie could have pointed at him.   
"I don't know who hired me!"   
"Nice try, but I know you. You always check who hires you before taking the money."   
"Nick, please! A contract is a contract....."   
"And it will be your death. Call off your hired hands or you can close your business, Craig. Last warning."   
"You wouldn't shoot me."   
"Why?"   
"No one's paying you for it!"   
Nick still smiled this faint, little smile. Craig wanted to be very far away from it right now. "This one I'd do for free. Who was it, Craig?"   
"A woman," the older man whispered, wiping his face. "I know nothing else. She never showed her face."   
"Who was it?" Nick repeated the question.   
Craig stared at the gun, then at the one holding it. There was no doubt about Nick's readiness to shoot him. "Jennifer Knight," he finally said. "She's...."   
"I know what she is, Craig." Nick smiled pleasantly, suggesting that he had an idea right down to the last freckle in her face.   
Craig swallowed heavily.   
"Who did you hire to send the virus?" Nick then asked.   
"Virus?"   
"Don't play dumb, Craig. Who?"   
Craig raised his hands, shaking his hands. "You know I don't do computer sabotage, Nick! Honest!"   
Blue eyes regarded him like a lab specimen. "All right." Nick rose slowly. His head was pounding like mad. "Call off your people. I don't want to kill any more people than I already have."   
Craig nodded slowly. Nick let himself out, stepping over two unconscious bodyguards. He left the large mansion and drove off on the midnight blue bike.   
Jennifer Knight. So he had a confirmation. She had set Craig on him, but Craig wasn't responsible for the computer virus that was slowly killing Karr. Nick believed him. The man didn't have the IQ to do something like it. He was the direct type. He killed people, not machines. So Jennifer had either hired someone else or bought herself the program. Nick initiated the helmet mike.   
"The Shop," came the gruff voice of Bear.   
"Anything?" Nick asked as he rushed down the street and onto the highway.   
"We're getting somewhere. Ed's friend came through for us. Looks like the CPU is already stabilizing, though we can't say anything about reversing the effects for now."   
"Thanks." Nick disconnected and took the next exit off, weaving through the streets. He finally arrived at an old pawn shop. The street appeared deserted and the few shops he saw didn't look like they were selling like crazy. The pawn shop was heavily barred and the window panes consisted of reinforced glass.   
What stood out was the police tape all around the scene and Nick parked the bike in a side street. Frank's was a pawn shop, but the owner had also sold hard ware, custom made, to people who could afford it. Nick had been one of his customers. He had never left his real name, and Casey never left any traces concerning her transactions for him. Someone must have dug long and hard to stumble over the old man's store.   
Breaking the lock and slipping into the store was easy. Nick didn't know why he had come, but maybe there was a trace as to who had placed the virus onto the hard drive. If it was Jennifer Knight, he had to give her some more credit. But maybe she had simply managed to spread enough money to attract the sharks.   
Frank had used a computer for his everyday pawn shop work and it had been confiscated by the police. What they hadn't taken with them was the collection of computer parts all around the small back room. Nick smiled slightly as he discovered another hard drive, an older model but still very up to date, wires snaking out of the connection ports. He simply took it and slipped out again. This was Frank's other data base, only connected to the computer when he needed to access it. Perfectly hidden.   
He left ten minutes after his arrival. The headache increased steadily.   


**Five**   


Nick stopped in front of the warehouse, feeling tired, his head pounding viciously. He dug into his pockets for some more painkillers and swallowed three of the white pills. He would have to take it easy with them, but with Karr out, he didn't have to worry about affecting his partner right now.   
He briefly closed his eyes, leaning against the warehouse's wall. He missed Karr. Years ago he would have laughed at the prospect of missing the being that had nearly killed him before. Now, after Michael and Kitt had shown him what could be, he thought differently about it all. He wanted Karr to be in his mind, needed him to be there, and the silent way of communicating, the link, was like a second nature to him. He had grown used to it all and now it was gone.   
Nick felt the emptiness nearly take him down with it, fighting it every step of the way. Almost instinctively, he reached for the place Karr normally was, trying to get a faint whisper of his partner, but there was nothing.   
Wearily, he pushed away from the wall and walked over to the quay. It was a nice day, but he couldn't enjoy it. Fingering the wrapped hard drive he had taken from Frank's, he wished for the first time that Michael was here. The thought was immediately followed by denial. He couldn't call Michael. This concerned him; alone. What if Kitt caught the same virus? They would only play into Jennifer's hands.   
I have mellowed, he thought ruefully. He had changed. His friendship with Michael had changed him, just like Karr had been changed through Kitt. He cared about these people. Actually, it felt nice. It was a new kind of safety, a safety through friendship, something he had never experienced before. Now he wanted to fall back on this safety, but it would endanger Michael and Kitt. He couldn't do that.   
With a sigh, Nick walked toward the warehouse. He had a hard drive to check.   


It was slow and laborious work. Nick had connected the hard drive to an independent system, not his laptop, and was browsing through the files. There were tons, all of them encrypted, and his head was spinning from the numbers, letters and strange symbols. He rubbed a hand over his face, briefly considering taking more of the painkillers, then decided against it. Maybe later. He was getting close to the limit and he didn't want to take drugs to counter-act other drugs. Nick tapped a few commands into the system and waited for the encryption program to find the key to this mess.

Two hours and five cans of Diet Coke later he had a readable file, though it was still missing data. It was enough, though. He found Frank's entry under his name, the name Nick used when buying things, and there were long lists of all the parts he had ordered the last two years. He sorted them by date and looked at the last entries. The hard drive was listed. It had come from a new source. Not the usual shipping. Someone had made Frank a really good offer and he had taken it. As always, the HD had been checked and rechecked before sale.   
"You are good," he muttered.   
Emptying the last can, he crunched it and threw it to the others. He had switched from coffee to soda a while ago, mainly because it went best with microwaved popcorn.   
Copying the shipping number, Nick rose. He swayed briefly, the headache flaring with a vengeance, and for a second, his vision blurred. Cursing under his breath, he waited for the dizziness to pass, then he slowly walked over to his stationary computer. It was a whole computer center, consisting of a myriad of parts,   
all connected, working as a unit. Nick accessed the net and surfed through the pages until he found the right one. He entered the shipping number and waited, massaging his neck and then his temples.   
Finally, the number came back, translated into a name: Scape Biz shipping. The name rang no bell, but he new he could dig deeper. Using the homepage link, the had a closer look at the company. What he found was only partly a surprise. He had already suspected it.   
"Knight Industries," he muttered. It sounded like a curse.   
Scape Biz was owned by Knight Industries, doing most of their computer parts shipping at the West Coast. Checking the other shipments Frank had ordered, he saw that Scape Biz had been a customer twice before, but never for Nick's parts. They usually came from various sources, mainly Carper VII, a small but highly specialized computer shipping service that could get the buyer everything for the right price.   
"You just had to ask for a deal, Frank," Nick sighed, massaging his head again.   
Someone had killed Frank to cover his tracks, to keep him from talking to Nick too soon or at all. Damnit! He leaned back and rubbed his burning eyes. Scape Biz had shipped the HD, but when had the virus been inserted and where? Where had it been developed?   
The information wouldn't be on the net. There was only one place to go to find out.

* * *

Michael didn't know whether he would strangle him or do something worse. Why hadn't he called? Why?   
"Nick, I'm going to kill you," he growled under his breath as he stuffed the last of his clothes into his travel bag.   
"Did you expect anything else?" Bonnie asked reasonably.   
He sighed. "No, but I had the hope that for once, he'd call if he needs help! I had to call Bear to hear of Karr's virus problem!" Michael zipped the bag shut. "Bear! The man I met only a few times!"   
They walked out to where Kitt was waiting.   
"Take it easy on him," Bonnie advised. "You know how Nick is, and with Karr suffering from a virus, it's even worse." Bonnie wasn't coming along. She would fly back since it would enable Michael to go faster. Now she gave him a kiss. "See you in a few days."   
Kitt's engine was already running and he was almost impatient. Michael smiled grimly as he left the hotel parking lot. Kitt wasn't the only one, but Michael was angry in addition to the impatience.   
"Anything?" he asked as they went onto the highway, already driving above the speed limit.   
"No." Kitt sounded distressed.   
Michael sighed, his stomach knotting in fear. Karr was under attack from a virus, someone had targeted Nick, and he had been on vacation! Sometimes, he wondered if his friendship with Nick would give him ulcers.   
"How can you handle Karr shutting you out all the time?" he sighed.   
"The same way you handle Nick: acceptance," Kitt replied with a smile in his voice. "But Karr and I have a different relationship."   
That much true. It was a relationship Michael didn't understand and would most likely never grasp. It was beyond human terms. He reached for Kitt, checking on his condition.   
"I'm fine," the AI replied softly.   
"Sure?"   
A sigh answered him. "It's hard, but I'll manage."   
Michael ran his hand gently over the sensor pad and Kitt shivered in response. Yes, he would manage, but what about Karr?

* * *

Knight Industries Towers was a tall, modern complex, a skyscraper that gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, the dark window panes reflecting the setting sun and creating an illusion that the building was on fire. Nick sat outside, watching people leave the office building, then his eyes traveled to the adjacent lower buildings which contained several of the branch offices. Beneath a white and steel blue two-story complex was the Knight Industries computer lab, as well as the whole testing range. It went deep underground and on the lowest level was the high security facility, the one where they kept all their neat little programs. It had an access tunnel north of here, about a mile away. If all went well, he didn't even have to think about escaping that way.   
Nick had no doubt in his abilities to break into the labs. He had done so before and there was no lock he didn't know, no camera, no surveillance he couldn't circumvent. He just had to time it right. His laptop was currently patched into the entrance and exit gates, registering who had already left the building and who was still inside. By 10 p.m. he knew everyone had left and only a few clerks remained. But no one who might get into his way, aside from the security personnel. He slipped out of the car he had borrowed from Ed, trying to shake the feeling he had had the whole afternoon. It wasn't Karr. He missed his partner.

Getting in was like a walk in the park. Nick smiled grimly as he slid down the elevator shaft to the lower levels. He had had little trouble with the security systems and he would be down in the Level One facility in a moment. As with the rest of the complex, even down here he didn't really encounter any really hairy moments. Security was present, but lax compared to other companies he had broken into, and it helped to go into FLAGNet first to steal the plans.   
Finally he arrived at his destination: the main lab. There was a large computer screen with a myriad of additions and controls. To one side, a door led to another room; it was closed. The other wall was occupied by a high shelf full of either computer parts or something that belonged into a chemist's lab. Nick didn't even browse through the shelf. He sat down on the empty chair and activated the terminal, then plugged in a little device he had brought along just for this, and went to work.

* * *

Kitt felt alone. He was with Michael, but still he felt alone. A part of him was missing and it was like a dark hole sucking up every call he sent there. And he had called ceaselessly ever since he had heard of what had happened to Karr. Still, no answer. He met the sucking hole of darkness, of coldness, of nothingness. There had once been a different kind of blackness at the other end, a blackness he knew, his brother. Karr. He had grown accustomed to having even faint pulses coming through the private link, smiling every time Karr slipped in his control and dropped his shields. Now there was nothing.   
He sent out another call.   
"Kitt?"   
The soft voice startled him and he pulled his awareness back to the outside. Michael was driving at high speed, as fast as they could risk it, worry creasing his features. He was questioning cautiously through the neuro link.   
"Nothing," Kitt answered the unspoken question, trying not to sound too crestfallen.   
"Karr wouldn't open up because of the virus," his driver tried to calm him.   
"I know, it's just...."   
//You are worried. You miss him//   
Kitt sighed. Yes, he did. Worry and miss him. Who had done this to Karr and why? What if it was permanent? What if he would never be able to feel Karr's presence again?   
Kitt refused to think about it. It was a nightmare.

* * *

Nick arrived back home in the early morning hours, seething with rage as his last suspicion had been confirmed. She had created a virus in her lab, using fragments of whatever she had been able to acquire, and a technician had put them together. It wasn't deadly, but it confused a machine to the point where every single function froze. It was a Chimera, nothing definite, nothing known, but it worked and it was dangerous.   
Head pounding, Nick walked into the dark warehouse and reached for his cell phone. He had to call Bear to let him know. The data he had acquired out of the mainframe at Knight Industries contained the whole virus program. Ed might be able to rig an effective counter-virus from there.   
"I have it," he said when Bear picked up. "Transmitting over a secure link. It's encapsulated and won't infect the receiver."   
He hung up and directed his computer to send off the virus program. Nick left the computer alone and walked over to the coffee machine. He knew he was slowly but surely making everything worse. Living off coffee, Coke and fast food, not to mention the painkillers, would soon backfire. Leaning against the brick wall to support his aching body, he closed his eyes, feeling dizziness sweep over him. But he couldn't give in yet. Maybe when Ed had freed Karr of the virus. Maybe.

* * *

It was three hours after Nick's call and the subsequent transfer of the encapsulated virus file.   
Casey felt like hugging someone and her victim was Ed, who didn't resist much. "It's working!" she breathed. "Heavens, it's working!"   
And it was. With the information Nick had 'acquired', it had been easy to configure a counter-virus, and Ed felt no less elated than his younger colleague. Now all they had to do was wait and pray that the damage done to the AI would be minimal. They had worked for hours, Ed keeping an open line to a friend who was an expert concerning viruses, and finally, they had succeeded.   
A mug of coffee was placed in front of her and Casey gave Bear a grateful smile.   
"By the way, Michael called," Bear rumbled as he leaned against the table, watching the Stealth.   
"Nick's in trouble," Casey sighed.   
"Yeah. He sounded pissed off. He and Kitt are on the way."   
"Have you called Nick?"   
"Left a message, but he's not home."

*

It was like being reborn. One moment there was only madness, then there was calmness. Karr came to a screeching stop in a world he had thought he had lost forever, watching the nightmarish virus dwindle and die. It was so fast, so unspectacular, he was amazed by it. His mind cleared, his systems booted, he was back. Before he even checked on the outside world, Karr moved to where he was forever linked to his human partner, only to encounter a block. Confused, he brushed against it, wondering what was wrong.   
Nick?>   
Only silence answered him.   
Nick!>   
Still no reply. Switching on his external sensors, Karr ascertained his location. He was still at the shop and three rather anxious humans were watching him,   
"Karr?" Ed asked.   
"I am functional," Karr answered.   
A grin split the computer engineer's face. "Those are my three most favorite words!" he cheered. "Karr, buddy, you gave us one heck of a scare!"   
"Where is Nicholas?" he demanded.   
"Wish I knew. Can't you reach him over the link?"   
"No."   
Karr was confused. Why wasn't his partner here? Why had he shut him out so completely that he wouldn't even feel his touch? His mind-voice calls bounced off the wall and the AI shivered. For a second he was tempted to reach for Kitt, to ask him, but then he remembered that his brother and Knight were on vacation, and if this was their problem, Nick wanted to handle it alone. But how would he be able to find out?   
"What happened?" he finally asked the humans.   
"How much do you remember?" Bear wanted to know.   
"Nick was targeted by an assassin. I was infected by a virus." That was all he knew.   
And Bear filled him on the rest. Worry grew in leaps and he pushed hard against the block. Nick, please!> Still nothing. It had to take a lot out of Nick to uphold this block! Why?   
"Am I ready to leave?" Karr finally asked.   
"Well, your CPU's in working order, but we haven't checked the peripheral systems yet." Ed rubbed a hand over his stubble. "Give me about one more hour and I can tell you if something has been damaged."   
Karr felt like screaming, but he knew Ed was right. If something else had suffered, he might break down halfway out of the shop. Very undignifying.   
"Proceed," he just snarled.   
"As you majesty commands."   
Sometimes, Karr wondered why Nick hadn't chosen someone else for his service crew.   


**Six**   


Kitt had never stopped trying to reach Karr. He kept his attention on the road, on Michael, but most of his concentration went toward reaching his brother. Suddenly, completely unexpected, the block went down. A weak pulse greeted him and Kitt surged forward, not thinking, just reacting, as he touched the black spark. Karr shivered uncontrollably, tendrils of his self seeking for an anchor and finding it in Kitt's warm presence.   
_Karr?!   
The other AI felt strange, as if he was more than just off balance and trying to keep it from Kitt.   
_Are you okay?   
_I'm fine, came the dismissive answer. But Karr held on, anchoring himself more.   
_We know about the virus, Karr. What happened?   
There was a second of silence. _I'm not sure. I was infected. I... Karr stopped, slight confusion rippling towards Kitt.   
_You were comatose, Kitt supplied, sounding very level. He snaked a tendril toward the dark spark, reassuring himself that Karr was fine. He probed the other presence and was shocked to feel the agony, what was left of the ordeal he must have faced. And more. Much more.   
_I'm okay! Karr snapped, then sighed. _Sorry, he mumbled.   
Kitt nodded. There was a lot of stress radiating from him. Something was wrong. _Where is Nick?   
_He's blocking.   
That was all the explanation Kitt needed to assess the problem.   
_Karr.....   
Karr shut him out, though he still kept the link open. Kitt retreated, slightly pained by his brother's reaction. After all that had happened, why didn't he accept help? A virus was a terrible attack, something that could have erased his mind! Bear had explained that the program had effectively frozen all systems. Kitt shivered as he imagined this happening to himself. Why was Karr trying to be stronger than he really was? After all the time, he should know that Kitt easily saw through the façade.   
He turned to Michael, giving him a brief run-down of what Karr had said and what he hadn't. Reading between the lines was almost second nature to Kitt when it came to Karr.   
//I AM going to strangle him!// Michael grumbled.   
Kitt smiled and checked on his brother. He was currently racing toward the warehouse, driven by an inner need and the sensation of danger. Michael was heading the same way, way over the speed limit, and cursing softly under his breath.

* * *

Nick hadn't really expected Craig to call off his assassin. The man might be a professional, but he didn't have the common sense to go with the job. The first shot grazed his shoulder and he threw himself behind cover. He cursed his slow reactions, but the excessive painkiller abuse made him feel like he was walking around packed in cotton wool. His mind was a blank and he was almost automatically feeding a block that kept him separated from Karr. It was his usual reaction to a dangerous situation that required prolonged concentration. Now, it was senseless. Karr was comatose.   
The second shot pinged off the computer array on the wall. Nick smiled grimly. Okay, he would have to talk with Craig once more. And more seriously. After he had taken care of this latest attempt on his life.   
Suddenly something brushed against the block he had raised and he faltered. Karr? Could it be...? The anti-virus had worked? Something akin to happiness coursed through him, immediately blocked by his survival instinct. He yearned to touch his partner, assure himself that he was fine, but he had more pressing matters. Someone was out to shoot him.   


-- Now --   


"You know the outcome," Nick said tiredly, rubbing a hand carefully over the bandaged wrist. He was feeling the aftereffects of his abuse, both emotional and physical. His balance was severely off. Karr was an almost physical presence in the back of his mind, never coming too close but being there. It was a reassurance, but Nick felt there had to be more.   
"Jennifer Knight." It sounded like a curse. Michael had a problem grasping the concept of Jennifer hiring assassins to take Nick out. "The... the.... nerve!" he managed. "How... why..." He was at a loss for words. "She wanted to commit murder!"   
"She tried before, Michael. It's nothing new. This time, she chose me."   
Yes, she had tried to kill Kitt, but she had never targeted a human being.   
Nick shrugged and winced. "Like I said, I took care of the problem."   
"How?" Dread swung in Michael's voice.   
"She's alive, don't worry. There are more ways than this to get back at someone."   
Michael gazed at his friend, open-mouthed, trying to find the right words. "Why didn't you call us?" he finally asked.   
"Because it didn't...."   
"...concern us," Knight finished, glaring at the dark-haired man. "Nick, it damn well concerns me! You are my friend!"   
"There was nothing you could have done for me; or Karr."   
"How do you know?" Michael asked, exasperated.   
"Trust me."   
"We are friends!" Michael insisted. "I trust you, but you don't seem to be willing to expand your side of this friendship any more than you have to!"   
"There is a reason why I never made many close friends," Nick said softly.   
"Because friends make you vulnerable?"   
"Because they get hurt in my line of work."   
Michael sighed. "Our line of work. Nick, you are no longer working for either Nash or the CIA!"   
"No, but the enemies I make are the same."   
"So you think mine are child's play?" he challenged.   
Nick tiredly ran a hand over his eyes. "No. But there is a difference between protecting myself or also protecting several targets."   
"I can very well protect myself, MacKenzie! Why, after all these years, do you play stubborn when it hits too close to home? You readily place yourself in the line of fire for me and Kitt. Why not let us for once return a favor given?"   
Nick was silent, studying the half-eaten sandwich. "It's hard to lose old traits. It was ingrained into me from early on that there is only the objective to be achieved. Don't hesitate, don't feel, don't get distracted."   
"Friends are a distraction," Michael said softly.   
"Everything is," Nick sighed. "Even Karr." For the first time, he evaded Michael's eyes.   
"You broke through that indoctrination some time ago or I and Kitt wouldn't be here today." Michael felt like shaking the other man.   
"Sometimes, it flashes back at you."   
He sank back into the chair. "What now?" Michael simply asked. "Jennifer hired assassins to take you out, and they failed."   
"She also won't find someone else to take on the job."   
"Sure?"   
"Very." The smile Nick had on his lips was downright scary.   
Michael was silent, playing with a scrap of paper. Nick leaned back, eyes seeking the ceiling, and he briefly reached out for Karr, an almost automatic check. He received a wordless reassurance in return. Ever since Casey and Ed had raised hell to counter the virus's effects, Nick felt like he had come way too close to losing an important part of himself to be comfortable with it. The crisis had brought them closer together, but it had also shown Nick how very vulnerable he was because of the link.   
We both are> Karr rumbled.   
I know> Nick shivered as Karr brushed over him. Nothing can be changed about it. I won't change it>   
"How old were you?"   
The question brought him back to the reality around him and Nick blinked. Michael was watching him, the blue-gray eyes holding a strange expression. "When what?"   
"When Wilton Knight hired you as a driver."   
Okay, this was leading somewhere. Just... where? Nick chewed on his lower lip, not really ready to delve into that part of his past. Michael knew he had been Knight's choice for Karr, that he had come straight from the CIA, actually from Nash's little training program. He had just never asked for more details. Actually, it was a matter of math. Then again, Michael had never asked him about his age.   
"Why do you want to know?"   
"Maybe it could help me understand you better."   
He chuckled dryly. "Highly unlikely."   
"So how old were you?"   
Nick sighed. "Too young, Michael. Way too young." He closed his eyes. Michael kept watching him. "Actually, in a way, Karr wasn't much older than me in machine terms of thinking."   
Michael frowned. Nick hesitated a bit longer, then rose and carried the plate with the leftovers into the kitchen.   
//What is he afraid of?// Michael whispered in his mind.   
Kitt was silent for a second. //Karr's not very clear on it, but I think it has to do with his past//   
//I know about it already! I know he was a government assassin, a spy, a sniper... all that//   
//But you don't know when he started// Kitt said softly.   
//And I never will because he doesn't trust me with it. He pushes both of us away the moment his past comes back to haunt him, but he jumps into the fire when it concerns us. I can't live with that!//   
Nick walked back into the room, his broken wrist cradled against his side. Michael gave him a half-hearted, angry look. The other man sank into the couch again.   
"It's difficult for me, Michael," he then said, voice very soft.   
"You trusted me this far already, Nick. You put your life in the line for us so many times, but you never accept help in return," Michael told him. "Why can't you let us help you, even if it is only to serve as back-up?"   
"In this case, it was because of her. Michael, it would only have served her pleasure if she had been able to get rid of you too. I couldn't let that happen."   
"So you would have sacrificed yourself."   
Nick laughed dryly. "Give me some credit!" Michael gazed pointedly at the injured wrist. Nick shrugged. "He got close, but he didn't get me."   
"He might not have come that close if you had let us in on the fun."   
"Here we go again." He gave Michael a mild glare.   
"And we will always get back there if you don't make up your mind, MacKenzie. We are partners. Kitt and I are not helpless little lambs, and you are not the big bad wolf. We are equals and I expect to be treated like one. If one of us has a problem, he asks for help." Michael shook his head. "Jennifer Knight has grown to be an enormous threat and as long as you want to play first and last line of defense, she has a chance. Nick, let us help in the future!"   
He nodded slowly. "Let me think about it."   
"Well, I hope that fried brain of yours comes to the right decision." Michael pushed off from the armchair. "Because I, for one, don't want to lose one of my best friends to a stupid mistake he made concerning trust!"   
He walked out.   
"Oh, that went well," Nick mumbled.

* * *

Kitt listened to Michael's angry mind as it fluctuated around him. Emotional overflow was like a voice coming through the link. He didn't broadcast consciously, but Kitt could somehow hear it. It weren't words, it was more a noise. Tuning down the input, he turned to Karr, who was a silent presence at the other outgoing link he had. It was comforting to have his presence close again, but he was still worrying. The whole episode had thrown Karr completely off balance and he was struggling back to normality.   
_Karr?   
Silence.   
_Karr, I know you are there. Please?   
There was a rumble, then a soft, _Yes?   
_Why doesn't Nick talk to Michael? I thought he trusted him.   
There was a long silence; long for AI terms. Karr shifted uncomfortably. _He does trust your driver, he finally said. _He trusts you both more than he trusted any outsider in a long time, but it's hard to.... accept this change. Nick has been on his own for a very long time. It's hard to change when you have learned that trust can only hurt you.   
Pain swung in the voice and Kitt understood him. Karr had learned to trust someone besides Nick just recently. It had been a long process and Kitt felt how much it had taken his brother to go against ingrained behavior.   
_It's a slow process, Karr went on, voice soft. _We have started to learn, but sometimes, things... backfire. Like this. We only wanted to protect you.   
_I understand the need to protect, but there are differences. This time, Michael and I could have helped.   
_I know. Now, I know. At the time, Nick simply fell back on what he had been trained to do.   
Kitt carefully snaked a tendril of himself toward his brother and Karr accepted the touch.   
_We can only teach you if you are willing to learn.   
Karr gave an unexpected snort of laughter and Kitt shot him a surprised look. It was rare that the other AI gave in to his emotional side. Amusement flooded Kitt, combined with some mind images. Until now, Nick and Karr had been the ones teaching Kitt and Michael. About the link, about working for FLAG as partly freelancing agents, about this new life. This had changed.   
Kitt chuckled softly.

Karr turned to check on his driver. Nick was asleep. He had finally given in to his body's demands, though he had thought about Knight's words for a long time. He had mulled them over, thrown ideas around, and finally had decided that a good night's sleep might help clear his head. Karr watched him, had watched him for a long time now, and he yearned to touch the presence. He needed the reassurance, but he was reluctant to come this close.   
_Karr?   
_Yes? he answered, sounding distracted.   
_Something wrong? Kitt wanted to know, feeling the shift in emotions.   
_We have become vulnerable, Karr said thoughtfully, gazing at his sleeping driver.   
_Nearness doesn't mean vulnerability, Kitt objected gently. _It gives you strength.   
_Nick and I have been together for over a decade now, Kitt. We have never needed this before. We survived. Until now.   
_You evolved   
_I became dependent, the darker AI growled.   
Kitt smiled. _Is it so bad?   
He was silent. Was it bad to be dependent on Nick's presence? On his nearness? He loved his driver, he would never hurt him intentionally, but things happened when he came close to another being. Bad things. He tended to lash out unconsciously.   
_He doesn't need me like this, he finally said.   
_How do you know? Kitt wanted to know. _Michael and I have grown because of the nearness. And I wouldn't call neither of us weak because of it.   
_You are different, Kitt. You were programmed for Michael. You and your driver grew naturally together, like people do. Nick and I were forced. I never received a programming to protect my pilot, to compliment him. We hurt each other and it still taints the link.   
_It was a long time ago. You outgrew this, Karr. You learned to respect Nick. You can be close. We are close.   
_We are different. We are machine life. The human mind is... different.   
_But you learned to tolerate my nearness, Karr. It isn't so much different, Kitt argued. _Go to him.   
Karr hesitated. He had never been close to Nick for more than a brief moment while he slept, checking the status of his driver. But he needed more. He needed him to be with him right now. Snaking a part of him closer, he wrapped himself around Nick, expecting to be pushed away. But nothing happened. His driver's sleeping presence shifted, curling closer to him, and Karr smiled involuntarily. He wrapped himself around Nick, shutting down some of his functions, going to sleep.   
Kitt watched, smiling warmly.

* * *

Nick woke to the pleasant sensation of total safety. He kept his eyes closed, aware of Karr's presence beside him, the AI off-line. It was almost like a physical embrace. It was a new sensation, something that had happened only twice before. He smiled and touched the darkness.   
Hey> he whispered.   
Karr came awake with a start. Realizing his position, he started to withdraw, but Nick held him.   
It's okay. Stay>   
It was nice, Nick thought. Just like in the hospital. More than nice. Beautiful. Enjoyable. No pain. Not like in the past, he thought dimly. Not at all. Karr shivered slightly, picking up on the thought.   
No!> Nick whispered. No, Karr, please....Sorry.... It's different>   
Can it ever be?> the AI asked.   
It already is> was the answer.   
Karr hesitated. He didn't dare to let his hope flare, but they had come a long way.   
Kitt asked about the conversation you and Knight had> he then said. He wanted to know why you still distrust them>   
Nick sighed. It's not distrust.... It's just... difficult>   
Karr hugged him. I know. You could send them a file>   
That would be rather impersonal>   
Since when have you become such a people person?> the AI teased.   
Nick chuckled and opened his eyes, gazing at the ceiling. Yes, since when? Since Michael and Kitt had changed their lives. When he had lowered his guard that fateful day when he had allowed Michael to be part of his life. When he had voluntarily confirmed that he was implanted, that the AI at the other end was Karr.   
When he had stayed.   
He sat up, feeling his wrist throb. It was a nuisance and he would have to get it rewrapped and checked this afternoon. Karr hovered in the back of his mind, waiting.   
Is Michael here?>   
Yes>   
Nick sighed and got up. Shower, coffee, then talk.

*

Michael was in the kitchen, buttering some toast, when Nick came out of the shower. Hair still damp, he had thrown on an old sweater and faded blue jeans, his usual style for at home. Showering with a bandaged wrist was a trial, but he had managed to keep the wrapping reasonable dry. It was already nine p.m., which was rather late for him to get up, but his body had had a different opinion about rest. He had needed to sleep off the effects of the attack and the drugs. Karr could only agree.   
Michael looked up as Nick walked in, giving him a critical once-over. Nick silently poured himself some coffee and then leaned against the kitchen counter. He was turning all he wanted to say over in his mind, always running up against his own mental walls, those keeping what he was, who he really was, hidden from everyone.   
"I apologize," he finally said softly.   
Michael looked up from his toast, eyebrows raised. "Accepted," he then said.   
Nick nursed his coffee, studying the kitchen floor. "Twenty-four," he then said.   
Michael stopped and the eyebrows dipped again into a frown. "Come again." He stopped, then gaped. "You were twenty-four?" he blurted.   
"When Wilton Knight found me." Nick still looked at the floor.   
Michael's mind was trying to do the math and he shook his head. He himself had been in his early thirties at the time and Nick had been nearly a decade younger? And he had already been in government service, in Nash's service.....? He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. It meant Nick was about ten years his junior, with a life time of experience Michael would never have even if he grew to be ancient.   
"I told you it was hard to get rid of something as ingrained in you as my training," Nick continued.   
"You were... underage?"   
He nodded. "Orphaned. Easy prey for Nash. Easily influenced. Angry at the world." He sipped at the cooling coffee. "Old enough to see where this as leading when I was twenty-four, old enough to try and make my own life."   
"Nick, I didn't know. I'm sorry."   
Nick smiled wryly. "Not your fault."   
Michael leaned back against the kitchen counter as well. feeling Kitt's shocked touch in his mind.   
//He was a child!//   
//Yes, pal, he was a child// Michael wished he had never asked. Imagining a boy being 'abducted' by Jackson Nash, trained to kill, never having a real childhood, was frightening.   
"I didn't know the government employed children," he said out loud.   
"There is a lot running as government-funded operations that no one actually knows of. Nash was shut down, but he created a lot of people like me."   
"Like Cameron?"   
Nick nodded. "She was older than me. She was already eighteen when he recruited her. She had wanted to join the Army, she was selected, she went into Nash's little training program. Like I said, Wilton Knight showed me a way out of the mess, at a time when I could still learn to be human after all." He smiled wryly.   
Michael nodded slowly, understanding more and more. Nick had never learned what it was like to have real friends, to be able to trust someone who hadn't been trained like himself. He didn't think MacKenzie had ever really trusted anyone at all before. Now he had been thrown together with Michael, voluntarily staying, protecting them. It must have taken an immense effort to let his guard down now and then.   
Kitt sent a shiver along the link. //What is it?//   
//Karr is distressed about this//   
//Understandable//   
//He knows it all, Michael. Not in detail, but he knows it//   
//There is little Nick could hide after the bond was formed more deeply//   
//He still hides enough//   
Only too true.   
"Thanks," Michael said out loud.   
Nick smiled humorlessly. "You are thanking me for telling you horror stories?"   
"I'm thanking you for telling me about yourself, Nick. It helps."   
Nick put the cup into the sink. "If you think so."   
"So what are the plans now?"   
"Pick up where we were interrupted."   
Michael grinned. "You are going to Vancouver?"   
"Actually, Alex is coming down once more." Nick smiled slightly.   
Michael chuckled. "Well, Kitt and I will be on the road by tomorrow. I have an appointment with a witness in hiding. So you have the whole place to yourselves."   
Nick rolled his eyes and pushed away from the counter. "Take your mind out of the gutter, Mr. Knight!"   
"When the shoe fits, Mr. MacKenzie....."

* * *

"You know, I faintly remember seeing you in one piece just five days ago. I might be over thirty, but I'm not yet suffering from degenerating memories."   
"And hello to you too," Nick greeted Alex, ignoring the mild teasing.   
She looked down at the bandage around his wrist and sighed deeply. "What happened?"   
"Nothing. Really."   
They walked out into the parking lot and Alex smiled as she discovered Karr. "Hello, Karr. What a nice surprise. Beats a bike."   
"Hello, Dr. Christopher," Karr replied formally. "You picked her up on a bike?" he then addressed his driver.   
Nick sighed and rolled his eyes.   
Karr took over driving automatically and Nick shot him an annoyed look. "I can drive!"   
"You can't."   
"It's just a scratch!"   
"It's a bullet wound and a broken wrist!"   
Alex smiled secretly and Nick shot her a dark look. "It's 'nothing', hm?" she quoted.   
"It's not like it's fatal," he growsed.   
"It will be if I let you drive," Karr countered.   
Nick leaned back, surrendering to his partner's driving. "It happened, it will heal."   
"I hope so."   
Karr weaved through the traffic, heading for home, ignoring the miffed projection through the link.

*

Alex wasn't very surprised when she woke alone in bed. Nick was an early riser; she was used to it. She stayed curled up in the warm blanket, enjoying the laziness of the morning, eyes traveling over the now cold indention that told of Nick's presence there last night.   
After taking a shower and securing a mug of coffee, with a lot of milk, she walked over to the gallery's rail. Leaning onto it, she looked around. Karr was parked down below, so Nick had gone out for his morning jogging rounds. The Stealth gleamed softly in the morning light that brushed over it, filtered through the security glass higher up. She admired the sleek form, smiling to herself. Karr was so much like Nick and Nick was so much like Karr, she mused to herself. It was amazing. Every time she met them both, she saw the likeness, the similarities, and Nick didn't want to hear anything of it.   
Finally, Alex descended the wrought iron staircase. "Good morning," she greeted the black Stealth.   
"Good morning, Dr. Christopher."   
"Nick's jogging, I take it?"   
"Affirmative."   
She smiled at the still formal tone. Alex walked over to the car and leaned against the warm skin. "What happened, Karr?"   
"Nick was shot," the AI replied.   
"That much I gathered. And he broke his wrist bones." She nursed her coffee. "How bad was it?"   
Karr was silent. "Very," he then answered softly.   
Alex gave him a surprised look. She hadn't expected this much honesty. She ran a hand over the dark side. "For both of you," she translated. "Are you okay?"   
"I'm functional."   
She chuckled. "That much I see and hear. I'm glad you are okay."   
"Thank you."   
They stood together and Alex looked around the silent warehouse. Michael was on a case for the next four days. That meant she didn't get to meet him once again. She was leaving the day after tomorrow. It was a short time, but it was quality time.   
By the time Nick returned, Karr had thawed a bit and they were talking. Alex liked Karr, even if it took a while to get used to his rather brisk nature. Nicholas shot them a surprised look.   
"Am I interrupting something?" he asked with a grin.   
"Well, we were discussing your medical record," Alex told him with a fine smile, pointedly looking at his injured wrist, which he was rubbing absent-mindedly. "We're only halfway through."   
"For this year," Karr added.   
Nick shot him a surprised look. "Hey, who are you siding with?"   
"The reasonable half of this partnership."   
Alex hid her smile behind her mug.   
"You are spoiling him," Nick complained, eyes holding a rare sparkle.   
"All in a morning's work." Alex followed him up the stairs. "So, what are your plans today?"   
He grasped her wrist with his good hand and pulled her close. "How about finishing last night's discussion, Dr. Christopher."   
Alex smiled. "Hm, now there's a thought."   


Karr elegantly slid a block into place and tuned down Nick's input. He turned to where he felt gentle pulses of brother wafting against his CPU. Kitt and Michael were currently bodyguarding a potential prime witness and though it was a case, it didn't require much run time for the AI. He sent a greeting and an inquiry, which Kitt answered with a friendly bounce.   
_Bored? Karr teased, feeling uncharacteristically open.   
_Out of my CPU. You?   
_About to run a self-diagnostic.   
_Just did that, Kitt sighed. _Nothing much else to do, except beat Michael at poker, chess and I Spy.   
Karr sent a little laugh, surprising Kitt. He felt good, yes. It was mainly because Nick was feeling emotionally more balanced, because he was feeling positive emotions, and because he was unwinding.   
Things were definitely looking up.   


**Seven**   


Nick had come back from his appointment with Dr. D'Angelo a few hours ago. His wrist was healing. Slowly. The bandage would have to stay and it annoyed him. He was severely handicapped and though he could handle a weapon left and right with equal precision, he felt vulnerable. He was vulnerable, he thought sourly. Bumping his wrist was painful and taking the painkillers Christa had prescribed wasn't helping him work cases. She had firmly told him to stay off jobs if he could help it. Truth to be told, he was bored senseless at home. He could work from his computer, but typing was restricted as well. Christa had already read him the riot act for actually daring to type email replies.   
If she knew about your other activities, she'd probably kill you> Karr rumbled, amusement flooding Nick's mind. The Stealth stood parked with his prow pointing Nick's way.   
Nick glared at Karr. Shut up!>   
But it did wonders to your mood> the AI went on, a snicker following the statement.   
How about you can it and let me think?>   
Don't hurt yourself>   
Funny guy>   
Nick sat on the bottom stairs of the warehouse, twirling a CD in his good hand. He had dropped by Ed's on the way back from Christa and his friend had handed him this little gift. The CD was crammed with one single program, the Chimera. Ed had given it to a friend, who had then altered the virus to fit Nick's requirements. He now had a very powerful weapon to which no anti-virus currently existed, except on a CD stored safely away at Ed's. This little program was powerful enough to, when inserted in the correct place, freeze an entire company mainframe, crashing all peripheral systems, and counteracting known anti-virus programs. It was undetectable in a normal virus sweep.   
"What do you want to do with it?" Karr asked out loud, startling his partner slightly.   
"Right now, nothing." He continued playing with the data carrier. "It's a way to add to what has already been set into motion."   
"It would crash her companies. It could wipe FLAG's mainframe."   
Nick rested his eyes on the black car. "I never took you for such a vengeful person, Karr," he laughed.   
He rumbled. "She has that effect."   
"Too true. But I won't destroy the Foundation because of one person. This is personal, between her and me."   
"Us."   
Another smile. "Us," he agreed.   
"She owns separate companies."   
"Yes, but we would hit more than just one person; we might be responsbile for hundreds losing their jobs."   
Karr considered that, then sent agreement. As much as he hated Jennifer Knight, like Nick, he only wanted to see her suffer, not someone else. Nick pocketed the Chimera virus and rose.   
"You are still planning to go to this hellish fundraiser?" Karr wanted to know.   
"Yes. It's hell, but I think it will be fun." A dark smile graced his lips. "She will be there."   


* * *

It was late already. Jennifer Knight closed the door of her private penthouse suite and dropped her briefcase on the chair next to the entrance. Annoyance was clearly written on her features. For the past weeks, she had had a lot of trouble, mainly with her banks and stocks. Something was happening and she didn't like it. It had climaxed in today's shopping spree when her VISA, Master and American Express cards had all been turned down. Maxed out. She couldn't believe it. She hadn't used them for a long time and had paid her last credit card bills! It had been humiliating to write out a check.   
Stalking into her office, she switched on the computer, waiting for it to boot. She then continued to enter commands and waited for the execution. Finally, numbers scrolled down the screen, the last being 1.00.   
She stared. "Impossible!" She lifted the portable phone and dialed a number. "Yes, Smith, it's me! What the fuck happened??..... no, I didn't remove my money... no.... no, I said no!" she yelled. "Everything is gone! Everything! What the fuck did you do? I'm getting calls from lawyers, demanding I pay outstanding sums! You were responsible for my money, so go figure out where the fuck it is!" She slammed the phone down and glared at the computer.   
All was gone. Stock options, accounts, savings, property... all gone! And she was getting demands from all kinds of companies, even her own lawyers, to pay bills she had received months back. Checks had been returned, the banks denying to pay what she had spent. Employees were suing her for not paying them! On top of that, she had received a call from the IRS.   
Jennifer ran a hand through her perfectly styled hair. What was going on?   
MacKenzie. The name immediately came to mind. No, impossible! Even if he knew who had set the killer on him, who had sabotaged the AI, he wouldn't be able to get to her personal accounts, to her money. Everything was triple secured. No one and nothing could get there! Computer experts had assure her of that!   
With shaking fingers, Jennifer switched off the computer. She had already set her technicians on the breach. They were hunting down whatever trace they could find of the problem she had. Millions couldn't just vanish like that!   
The problem was: that was exactly what had happened.

* * *

Nick, dressed in a black suit and wearing a tie, leaned against the solid granite pillar, surveying the crowd. His wrist was still bandaged, but the injuries in his face had healed. There was only a thin, red line where the cut had been. It would be gone in a few more days. His eyes were drawn to the woman in the dark green dress who was making polite small talk with some of the guests. Jennifer Knight looked haggard, her face lined, her eyes haunted. No amount of make-up could hide the sleepless nights and the personal trouble. She had yet to even look his way and Nick would treat her as politely as he always did on such occasions. A man of undefined age with full gray hair approached, carrying a glass of champagne. Nick acknowledged his presence with a glance.   
"Tell me you had nothing to do with it," John Landes said by ways of a greeting.   
"I had nothing to do with it, John," Nick repeated, giving the Board member a humorless smile.   
Landes sighed deeply and joined him looking over the crowds. "Jennifer is up to her neck in monetary problems. The IRS is breathing down her neck for something or other, her lawyers are running in circles, and the banks closed down her accounts. She's broke, screaming someone stole her money, but there's no trace. It all looks like she spent it in the last two years on expensive things or wrong investments."   
"How sad."   
A wave of satisfaction flooded through him, coming from Karr. He didn't even try to filter it, least of all shut it out. His partner was mirroring his own feelings.   
"Nick, why?"   
Nick gave the older man a long, hard look.   
"Because of the experiments?"   
"John, please," Nick gave him an exasperated look. "Ancient history."   
Landes frowned slightly. Ancient, no. History, not by a long shot. But the knew how Nick thought. He wouldn't act on it because he already had, in a way, but he wouldn't forget.   
"And you know I'm not into white-collar crime," Nick added with a faint smile.   
"Do tell me a better one," Landes muttered barely loud enough for Nick to hear.   
He smiled and sipped at his orange juice, his injured wrist kept close to his body.   
"What happened?" John asked and nodded at the wrist.   
"Accident."   
"Job-related?"   
"You could say so."   
They spent the next few minutes in silence, then John shook his head. "As long as I've known you now, I think I'll never understand you, Nicholas MacKenzie."   
"Good." Nick gave him a brief smile.   
"You won't tell me what happened, right?"   
"No. It's none of your business."   
"In a way it is."   
"Then I'd have to send you my bill for services rendered, as well as medical treatment because of aforementioned services."   
Landes chuckled.   
"I see you are amusing yourselves," a new voice entered the conversation and Nick looked down to meet the clear eyes of Quinn Campbell.   
"Mrs. Campbell." He smiled at her.   
Quinn raised her eyebrows and placed a hand against her chest in surprise. "Oh dear."   
"Pardon?" Nick echoed.   
"I'm still waiting for the world to end. You smiled!" the elderly woman said with a fine smile of her own.   
"When I find the right occasion. How are you, Mrs. Campbell?"   
"The world truly has to end tonight," she teased. "Nicholas MacKenzie making small talk?"   
"Always improving my skills."   
"Remind me to introduce you to a few of my friends' daughters. I think you are turning into a sociable person. You might one day even make it as far as dating a woman......"   
Nick grimaced slightly. "You know how those skills are, Mrs. Campbell. They are easily forgotten. If you excuse me now." Nick nodded once, then walked off into the crowd, aiming for Bonnie and Michael.   
Quinn chuckled and then looked at where Jennifer stood. Her features became serious once more.   
"I wish I knew what happened," John muttered. He had followed the amazing conversation with stunned silence. Nick; making small talk. It boggled the mind.   
"Something bad," Quinn told him, voice rather level.   
He gave her a surprised look. "You know?"   
Quinn was silent for a while, never leaving Jennifer out of her eyes. "She went too far."   
"The experiments?"   
"No, that is a thing of the past. You know Nick. He doesn't hold a grudge like that. He won't forget, but he doesn't act on it. On something as low as revenge."   
"Then what?"   
"Nick is a thorn in Jennifer's side. You know she wants Kitt and she decided it was time to remove that thorn."   
It was all he could do not to drop the glass. Landes stared at his long-time friend and fellow Board member as the meaning of Quinn's explanation sank in. "She did what?" he breathed. "My god.... How do you know?"   
"I simply do."   
"My god," John repeated. "What now?"   
"There is nothing we have to do. Nick did his share."   
"That was him?"   
She smiled slightly.   
"What now?"   
Quinn gave him a surprised look. "What about now? There is nothing we can do. Jennifer Knight had an extravagant lifestyle that broke her neck, John. She lost everything to the banks and her money to the market. She is broke and though she has found a few friends who are willing to give her money, I doubt she will find her own again. It's her own fault."   
"Any idea what he did with it?"   
"Knowing him, something you can't trace." Quinn's eyes rested on the young man next to Michael and she smiled appreciatively. "We are lucky we have him, John. Very lucky."   
"We 'have' him, Quinn? Mr. MacKenzie works freelance and I don't want to know what he does 99% of the time. I think a Stephen King novel would be a less horrifying read."   
She laughed softly. "You know what I mean."   
Yes, he did. He had been part of those who had made it happen. The Board denied any knowledge of Nicholas MacKenzie or Karr working for them. Michael Knight and Kitt were their pride and joy, Nick was just a shadow. It was what he did best and it was what he wanted to be. But he did good and continued doing so.   
"Good for us, bad for her," John just said, taking a new glass of champagne of a tray.

*

The party wound down around midnight and many of the invited guests left one after the other. Michael, his tie loosened, was standing off to one side, sipping at a Coke. He was tired of champagne by now and felt sick from too much Hoers d'Oevre. Bonnie was talking to Devon and Nick was - somewhere. Jennifer Knight had left him alone the whole evening. She had chatted with some of her wealthy friends, probably trying to solve her money problems. There had been a brief incident when she had run into Nick, but his friend had only smiled. It was a smile you wanted to back away from, and Jennifer had done just that. She had looked decidedly glazed gray with terror for the rest of the evening in Michael's eyes.   
When he had heard about Jennifer Knight being completely broke, actually owing money to a lot of people, a week ago, he had nearly missed the chair he had tried to sit down on. FLAG had already offered her a position where she would get monthly payment, but she was currently still too proud and not yet desperate enough to accept. It would change. Nick hadn't lost more than a brief, knowing smile about it, and Michael had decided not to ask.   
Kitt had projected a strange wave of satisfaction, but after that, he had been as calm and indifferent as usual.   
"Ready to leave?"   
The quiet voice made him jump and he shot Nick an annoyed look.   
"Wear a bell around your neck!" he muttered.   
Nick smiled briefly. "The tie is enough."   
"Looks good on you."   
"It's yours. Had to borrow one."   
"I own only one."   
Nick gave the black tie a critical look. "It's not Devon's and I highly doubt it's Bonnie's either....."   
The light conversation was interrupted by Bonnie. "Ready?" Michael asked, slipping an arm around her waist.   
"More than ready," she answered, sounding as relieved as he felt.   
They walked out into the parking lot where the two black cars were sitting next to each other. Kitt's red scanner light traced back and forth, almost like a homing beacon in the night. Karr was simply a black blob of silence.   
"Enjoyed the evening?" Michael asked his partner.   
"When the petting and crooning was over, yes."   
"My, Kitt, you sound sarcastic. I thought you enjoyed fundraisers. They are for a good cause," Michael teased, aware that Kitt was worse off than him on those dates. He just had to wear a suit and tie, Kitt was the main attraction.   
"At least some were also swarming around Karr," Kitt added.   
There was a low, dangerous rumble coming from the otherwise silent Stealth.   
"Which he enjoyed immensely, I take it," Michael commented dryly.   
Nick grinned and patted Karr's roof. "Good boy."   
"You are living a dangerous life," was the answering snarl.   
"He's one happy camper," Nick joked, grinning.   
"I'll meet you tomorrow." Devon's voice made Michael turn. The older man had walked up the gravel strewn path to the cars. He kept his distance to Karr almost unconsciously.   
Michael nodded. New case. He was actually looking forward to it. "Tomorrow," he agreed, then gave Devon a quick grin.   
Nick just got into Karr, the first to pull out. Michael and Kitt, Bonnie on the passenger seat, followed a few seconds later. Things were back to normal, at least for them.   



End file.
